1 Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a moulded article and a method of manufacturing the moulded article. More particularly the invention relates to moulded articles in the form of panels. It will be convenient to describe the invention with particular reference to the laminated panels for use as interior door trim panels or other vehicles, although it will be appreciated that the invention may have wider application.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Interior trim mouldings for vehicles such as door panels are known in the art. Such door panels are used to form the interior covering of a vehicle door and are designed with both safety and aesthetic consideration in mind Aesthetically the door panel is preferably visually and tactually appealing, while at the same time it should have no sharp edges and is preferably slightly compressible so as not to cause injury to vehicle occupants in the event of a collision. One type of door panel consists of a thermofortmable rigid substrate layer to which there is laminated a soft compressible sheet having an outer covering which forms the visible surface of the door trim i.e. on the vehicle cabin side of the door. The manufacture of such panels is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4243456, U.S. Pat. No.4328067 and G.B. 2195940 and is commonly known in the art as the "WOODSTOCK".RTM. process.
The process known in the art for manufacturing such door trim involves press moulding a substrate layer or sheet of a normally rigid thermoplastic material generally having a thickness between about 1 and 10 mm and a cover layer sheet of a normally pliable and compressible decorative material. A suitable material for the thermoplastic substrate is disclosed in British Patent Specification No. 1457015 and comprises a blend of a thermoplastic polymer such as polypropylene and a non-thermoplastic filler such as saw dust; such a composition is "thermoplastice" in the sense used herein and can be thermally plastified by heating to a temperature well above the melting point of the polymer constituent. The cover layer sheet materials often used are foamed vinyl laminates having an exterior decorative skin, an interior woven or non-woven textile layer and a foamed interlayer between the interior and exterior layers. The substrate is heated to a temperature where it becomes plasticised and is introduced into a moulding press with the cover layer sheet whereupon the press closes and bonds the cover layer and substrate together while simultaneously forming the substantially flat sheets into the three dimensional door trim. When the substrate cools and solidifies, the formed door panel is removed from the mould.
Door panels made using the "WOODSTOCKI.TM." process may have sections cut into them for the provision of various features such as handles, window or door opening devices, lights, control panels and contrasting soft panels and panels of fabric such as velour, suede, cloth or leather. In vehicular design it is desired to provide door panels with as streamline a look as possible. It is also desired to make the handle for pulling the door closed, hereinafter called the door pull, as pleasant to use as possible as this is one of the first features a potential purchaser of the car uses. In the past door pulls have been separate accessories that have been slotted into a portion cut-out of the door panel or affixed onto or through the door panel. Inserted door pulls rely upon the strength of the door panel to transfer force applied by the vehicle occupant to the door itself, which can be unsatisfactory in many cases. With door pulls which are bolted or screwed onto the door through the door panel the join between the door pull and the door panel is aesthetically displeasing but has hitherto proved impossible to eliminate.